Ottawa families have highest incomes in Ontario

Ottawa residents have the highest household incomes of anyone in Ontario, according to new data from Statistics Canada.

The city’s median household income was $86,451 in 2015 up 4.4 per cent from where it had been a decade ago in 2005. Petawawa was second in the provincial ranking at $86,048 and Oshawa was third at $85,697.

The city also had a low rate of child poverty at about 15 per cent. Windsor has the highest rate of any major city in the country with 24 per cent of children there living in poverty.

Speaking at council Wednesday, Mayor Jim Watson said the news isn’t surprising, but it’s definitely welcome.

“More money means more money put back into the economy, which is good for job creation and economic development.”

Watson said he hadn’t yet reviewed the numbers, but Ottawa has a lot going for it right now that’s attracting good, high-paying jobs.

“I haven’t seen that report, but a combination of our high tech sector is on the upswing again, and I think that attracts higher salaries because we’re in competition globally to get good people to come and work here,” he said. “Obviously I think the federal retirees have an indexed pension and that adds to the economic wealth in the community.”

Michael Maidment, executive director of the Ottawa Food Bank, said while the overall numbers are good many people in the city still struggle with the food bank helping an average of 41,540 people every month.

“There are still many people who live in poverty and need the support from organizations like the Ottawa food bank to make it through the month.”

He said most of those people are going through community food bank programs and 36 per cent of those are children.